1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a recording medium such as a digital signal recording disc, a digital video disc, a digital versatile disc, or an IC memory. Also, this invention relates to a signal encoding apparatus. Furthermore, this invention relates to a player for a recording medium such as a digital signal recording disc. In addition, this invention relates to a signal decoding apparatus and a signal decoding method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical discs for storing information include digital video discs and digital versatile discs (DVD""s). A standard DVD stores a combination of an audio signal and a video signal. The audio-signal recording capacity of the standard DVD is significantly smaller than the video-signal recording capacity thereof. It is difficult to manage time-related information of the audio signal recorded on the standard DVD. It is difficult to read out information of the titles of tunes represented by the audio signal recorded on the standard DVD.
It is a first object of this invention to provide an improved recording medium.
It is a second object of this invention to provide an improved signal encoding apparatus.
It is a third object of this invention to provide an improved player for a recording medium.
It is a fourth object of this invention to provide an improved signal decoding apparatus.
It is a fifth object of this invention to provide an improved signal decoding method.
A first aspect of this invention provides a digital signal recording medium having a first area storing an audio title set, the audio title set having data representing audio information and data representing a still picture, the audio title set being void of a pack of data for playback control, the first area also storing information for managing the audio title set, the digital signal recording medium being void of a second area storing a video title set and information for managing the video title set.
A second aspect of this invention is based on the first aspect thereof, and provides a digital signal recording medium wherein the data representing the audio information in the audio title set results from analog-to-digital conversion of an analog audio signal at a predetermined sampling frequency.
A third aspect of this invention is based on the first aspect thereof, and provides a digital signal recording medium wherein the data representing the audio information in the audio title set includes first sub data and second sub data, the first sub data having a frame rate of {fraction (1/600)} second and resulting from analog-to-digital conversion of an analog audio signal at a sampling frequency equal to a multiple of 48 kHz, the second sub data having a frame rate of {fraction (1/551.25)} second and resulting from analog-to-digital conversion of an analog audio signal at a sampling frequency equal to a multiple of 44.1 kHz.
A fourth aspect of this invention provides a signal encoding apparatus comprising means for generating first information of management of an audio title set in response to first data representing audio information and second data representing a still picture; and means for combining and formatting the first data, the second data, and the first information into a data structure; wherein the data structure has a first area containing an audio title set, the audio title set having the first data and the second data, the audio title set being void of a pack of data for playback control, the first area also containing the first information, the data structure being void of a second area containing a video title set and second information of management of the video title set.
A fifth aspect of this invention provides a signal encoding apparatus comprising means for generating first information of management of an audio title set in response to first data representing audio information and second data representing a still picture; and means for combining and formatting the first data, the second data, and the first information into a data structure; wherein the data structure has a first area containing an audio title set, the audio title set having the first data and the second data, the audio title set being void of a pack of data for playback control, the first area also containing the first information, the data structure being void of a second area containing a video title set and second information of management of the video title set; and wherein the first data results from analog-to-digital conversion of an analog audio signal at a predetermined sampling frequency.
A sixth aspect of this invention provides a signal encoding apparatus comprising means for generating first information of management of an audio title set in response to first data representing audio information and second data representing a still picture; and means for combining and formatting the first data, the second data, and the first information into a data structure; wherein the data structure has a first area containing an audio title set, the audio title set having the first data and the second data, the audio title set being void of a pack of data for playback control, the first area also containing the first information, the data structure being void of a second area containing a video title set and second information of management of the video title set; and wherein the first data includes first sub data and second sub data, the first sub data having a frame rate of {fraction (1/600)} second and resulting from analog-to-digital conversion of an analog audio signal at a sampling frequency equal to a multiple of 48 kHz, the second sub data having a frame rate of {fraction (1/551.25)} second and resulting from analog-to-digital conversion of an analog audio signal at a sampling frequency equal to a multiple of 44.1 kHz.
A seventh aspect of this invention provides a signal encoding apparatus comprising means for generating first information of management of an audio title set in response to first data representing audio information and second data representing a still picture; means for combining and formatting the first data, the second data, and the first information into a data structure; wherein the data structure has a first area containing an audio title set, the audio title set having the first data and the second data, the audio title set being void of a pack of data for playback control, the first area also containing the first information, the data structure being void of a second area containing a video title set and second information of management of the video title set; wherein the first data includes first sub data and second sub data, the first sub data having a frame rate of {fraction (1/600)} second and resulting from analog-to-digital conversion of an analog audio signal at a sampling frequency equal to a multiple of 48 kHz, the second sub data having a frame rate of {fraction (1/551.25)} second and resulting from analog-to-digital conversion of an analog audio signal at a sampling frequency equal to a multiple of 44.1 kHz; and means for placing second information in the first area, the second information representing that emphasis reproduction is inhibited when the sampling frequency related to the first sub data is equal to 192 kHz, and when the sampling frequency related to the second sub data is equal to 176.4 kHz.
An eighth aspect of this invention provides a player for a digital signal recording medium having a first area storing an audio title set, the audio title set having data representing audio information and data representing a still picture, the audio title set being void of a pack of data for playback control, the first area also storing information for managing the audio title set, the digital signal recording medium being void of a second area storing a video title set and information for managing the video title set. The player comprises means for detecting the managing information from the first area of the digital signal recording medium; and means for reproducing the data representing the audio information and the data representing the still picture from the digital signal recording medium in response to the detected managing information.
A ninth aspect of this invention provides a player for a digital signal recording medium having a first area storing an audio title set, the audio title set having data representing audio information and data representing a still picture, the audio title set being void of a pack of data for playback control, the first area also storing information for managing the audio title set, the digital signal recording medium being void of a second area storing a video title set and information for managing the video title set, wherein the data representing the audio information in the audio title set includes first sub data and second sub data, the first sub data having a frame rate of {fraction (1/600)} second and resulting from analog-to-digital conversion of an analog audio signal at a sampling frequency equal to a multiple of 48 kHz, the second sub data having a frame rate of {fraction (1/551.25)} second and resulting from analog-to-digital conversion of an analog audio signal at a sampling frequency equal to a multiple of 44.1 kHz. The player comprises means for reproducing the first sub data and the second sub data from the digital signal recording medium; means for implementing digital-to-analog conversion of the reproduced first sub data to recover a corresponding analog audio signal; and means for implementing digital-to-analog conversion of the reproduced second sub data to recover a corresponding analog audio signal.
A tenth aspect of this invention is based on the ninth aspect thereof, and provides a player further comprising means for indicating the sampling frequencies related to the first sub data and the second sub data.
An eleventh aspect of this invention provides a digital signal recording medium having a first area storing audio title sets having data representing audio information and data representing a still-picture; a second area storing menu information; a third area storing information for managing the audio title sets; a fourth area storing information for managing the audio title sets and the menu information; and a fifth area storing TOC information.
A twelfth aspect of this invention provides a signal encoding apparatus comprising means for generating first information of management of an audio title set in response to first data representing audio information and second data representing a still picture; means for generating second information of management of the audio title set and menu information in response to the first data, the second data, and the menu information; and means for combining and formatting the first data, the second data, the first information, the second information, and TOC information into a data structure; wherein the data structure has a first area containing audio title sets having the first data and the second data, a second area containing the menu information, a third area containing the first information, a fourth area containing the second information, and a fifth area containing the TOC information.
A thirteenth aspect of this invention provides a player comprising means for dividing an input signal into packs; means for separating the packs into first packs, second packs, and third packs, the first packs including audio data, the second packs containing real-time information data, the third packs still-picture data; means for decoding the first packs into the audio data; means for decoding the second packs into the real-time information data; and means for decoding the third packs into the still-picture data.
A fourteenth aspect of this invention is based on the thirteenth aspect thereof, and provides a player further comprising means for outputting the audio data while outputting the still-picture data.
A fifteenth aspect of this invention is based on the fourteenth aspect thereof, and provides a player further comprising means for synchronizing the outputting of the audio data and the outputting of the still-picture data.
A sixteenth aspect of this invention is based on the fourteenth aspect thereof, and provides a player as recited further comprising means for changing a page of a picture represented by the still-picture data in response to a page change command.
A seventeenth aspect of this invention provides a player for a digital signal recording medium storing first audio data, second audio data, and sampling frequency information, the first audio data having a first predetermined sampling frequency, the second audio data having a second predetermined sampling frequency, the sampling frequency information representing the first predetermined frequency of the first audio data and the second sampling frequency of the second audio data. The player comprises means for reproducing the first audio data and the sampling frequency information from the digital signal recording medium; means for detecting a sampling frequency of the reproduced first audio data in response to the reproduced sampling frequency information; means for converting the reproduced first audio data into third audio data having a sampling frequency equal to the second predetermined sampling frequency; and means for implementing digital-to-analog conversion of the third audio data in response to a sampling clock signal having a frequency equal to the second predetermined sampling frequency.
An eighteenth aspect of this invention is based on the seventeenth aspect thereof, and provides a player wherein the first audio data and the second audio data correspond to respective channels of a multiple-channel audio signal.
A nineteenth aspect of this invention is based on the seventeenth aspect thereof, and provides a player further comprising means for indicating the sampling frequency of the first audio data when the first audio data is reproduced.
A twentieth aspect of this invention provides a player for a digital signal recording medium storing audio data, copyright data related to the audio data, and still-picture data. The player comprises means for reproducing the audio data, the copyright data, and the still-picture data from the digital signal recording medium; means for combining the reproduced copyright data and the reproduced still-picture data into a composite picture signal; and means for outputting the reproduced audio data while outputting the composite picture data.
A twenty-first aspect of this invention is based on the thirteenth aspect thereof, and provides a player further comprising means for reproducing information from a digital signal recording medium, and means for using the reproduced information as the input signal.
A twenty-second aspect of this invention is based on the thirteenth aspect thereof, and provides a player further comprising means for receiving the input signal from a transmission line.
A twenty-third aspect of this invention provides a signal encoding apparatus comprising means for generating audio packs containing audio data; means for generating management packs containing information of management of the audio packs; and means for placing character information and display time control data in the management packs, the character information relating to the audio data, the display time control data relating to a display time of the character information.
A twenty-fourth aspect of this invention provides a digital signal recording medium having first areas storing audio packs containing audio data; and second areas storing management packs containing information of management of the audio packs, the management packs also containing character information and display time control data, the character information relating to the audio data, the display time control data relating to a display time of the character information.
A twenty-fifth aspect of this invention provides a player for a digital signal recording medium having first areas storing audio packs containing audio data, and second areas storing management packs containing information of management of the audio packs, the management packs also containing character information and display time control data, the character information relating to the audio data, the display time control data relating to a display time of the character information. The player comprises means for reproducing the management packs from the digital signal recording medium; means for decoding the reproduced management packs into the character information; means for decoding the reproduced management packs into the display time control data; and means for indicating the character information in response to the display time control data.
A twenty-sixth aspect of this invention provides a signal encoding apparatus comprising means for generating audio packs containing audio data; means for generating character display packs containing character information and display time control data, the character information relating to the audio data, the display time control data relating to a display time of the character information; and means for generating management packs containing information of management of the audio packs and the character display packs.
A twenty-seventh aspect of this invention provides a digital signal recording medium having first areas storing audio packs containing audio data; second areas storing character display packs containing character information and display time control data, the character information relating to the audio data, the display time control data relating to a display time of the character information; and third areas storing management packs containing information of management of the audio packs and the character display packs.
A twenty-eighth aspect of this invention provides a player for a digital signal recording medium having first areas storing audio packs containing audio data, second areas storing character display packs containing character information and display time control data, the character information relating to the audio data, the display time control data relating to a display time of the character information, and third areas storing management packs containing information of management of the audio packs and the character display packs. The player comprises means for reproducing the character display packs from the digital signal recording medium; means for decoding the reproduced character display packs into the character information; means for decoding the reproduced character display packs into the display time control data; and means for indicating the character information in response to the display time control data.
A twenty-ninth aspect of this invention provides a signal encoding apparatus comprising means for generating audio packs containing audio data; means for generating character display packs containing character information relating to the audio data; and means for generating management packs containing information of management of the audio packs and display time control data relating to a display time of the character information.
A thirtieth aspect of this invention provides a digital signal recording medium having first areas storing audio packs containing audio data; second areas storing character display packs containing character information relating to the audio data; and third areas storing management packs containing information of management of the audio packs and display time control data relating to a display time of the character information.
A thirty-first aspect of this invention provides a player for a digital signal recording medium having first areas storing audio packs containing audio data, second areas storing character display packs containing character information relating to the audio data, and third areas storing management packs containing information of management of the audio packs and display time control data relating to a display time of the character information. The player comprises means for reproducing the character display packs and the management packs from the digital signal recording medium; means for decoding the reproduced character display packs into the character information; means for decoding the management packs into the display time control data; and means for indicating the character information in response to the display time control data.
A thirty-second aspect of this invention is based on the twenty-third aspect thereof, and provides a signal encoding apparatus wherein the display time control data represents a display start time and a display end time in terms of addresses of the audio packs.
A thirty-third aspect of this invention is based on the twenty-fourth aspect thereof, and provides a digital signal recording medium wherein the display time control data represents a display start time and a display end time in terms of addresses of the audio packs.
A thirty-fourth aspect of this invention is based on the twenty-fifth aspect thereof, and provides a player wherein the display time control data represents a display start time and a display end time in terms of addresses of the audio packs.
A thirty-fifth aspect of this invention provides a digital signal recording medium having a first area storing audio title sets comprising data representing audio information, data representing still picture and data representing real-time text, the audio title set being void of pack of data for playback control, the first area also storing menu information and information for managing the audio title sets and the menu information, the digital signal recording medium being void of a second area storing a video title set and information for managing the video title set.
A thirty-sixth aspect of this invention provides a signal encoding apparatus for encoding a signal into a format which corresponds to a digital signal recording medium having a first area storing audio title sets comprising data representing audio information, data representing still picture and data representing real-time text, the audio title set being void of pack of data for playback control, the first area also storing menu information and information for managing the audio title sets and the menu information, the digital signal recording medium being void of a second area storing a video title set and information for managing the video title set.
A thirty-seventh aspect of this invention provides a signal encoding method for encoding a signal into a format which corresponds to a digital signal recording medium having a first area storing audio title sets comprising data representing audio information, data representing still picture and data representing real-time text, the audio title set being void of pack of data for playback control, the first area also storing menu information and information for managing the audio title sets and the menu information, the digital signal recording medium being void of a second area storing a video title set and information for managing the video title set.
A thirty-eighth aspect of this invention provides a signal decoding apparatus for decoding a signal reproduced from a digital signal recording medium having a first area storing audio title sets comprising data representing audio information, data representing still picture and data representing real-time text, the audio title set being void of pack of data for playback control, the first area also storing menu information and information for managing the audio title sets and the menu information, the digital signal recording medium being void of a second area storing a video title set and information for managing the video title set.
A thirty-ninth aspect of this invention provides a signal decoding method for decoding a signal reproduced from a digital signal recording medium having a first area storing audio title sets comprising data representing audio information, data representing still picture and data representing real-time text, the audio title set being void of pack of data for playback control, the first area also storing menu information and information for managing the audio title sets and the menu information, the digital signal recording medium being void of a second area storing a video title set and information for managing the video title set.